The Chatham Kent Community Health Centres (CKCHC) has announced the expansion of their Primary Health Care team to support Temporary Foreign Workers in Chatham-Kent.
Currently, the CKCHC team provides primary care to Temporary Foreign Workers in two local farms.
With the support and funding from Ontario Health, CKCHC officials say they are “thrilled” to extend their services to more farms to achieve more accessible access to primary care for all Temporary Foreign Workers during their stay in Canada.
With the extension of the program, the CKCHC aims to reduce barriers to care and promote overall health and well being among Temporary Foreign Workers at a convenient time and location for the farm and the workers.
The team, led by a Nurse Practitioner, a Registered Practical Nurse, and a Health Promoter, is equipped to provide medical assessments to Temporary Foreign Workers who require health care for acute needs, prescription renewals, health education, and more.
The CKCHC also offers health presentations and influenza vaccination clinics during flu season.
“Our team has had wonderful success in reducing barriers to access to care for Temporary Foreign Workers,” said Mallory Nowakowski, Clinical and Client Services Manager at CKCHC, in a media release.
“By providing onsite care, we have reduced emergency room visits and provided early intervention to prevent serious health concerns. We are thrilled to continue to serve the Chatham-Kent community.”
In 2023, the CKCHC team reached out to various local farms to understand the unique healthcare needs of Temporary Foreign Workers in the community.
CKCHC officials say their data collection gave them a better idea of the challenges that Temporary Foreign Workers face when addressing healthcare services in a new country.
As a result, their Primary Health Care outreach team has been expanded to provide additional onsite medical services, in addition to the existing support they may have.
The program has been designed to meet the unique healthcare needs of Temporary Foreign Workers and is delivered with compassion and respect for their cultural differences, CKCHC officials added.
Expanding the Primary Health Care outreach team to support Temporary Foreign Workers in Chatham- Kent aligns with the CKCHC’s values and model of care.
As a non-profit, community-governed, multi-service health centre, CKCHC is mandated to serve vulnerable populations in the Chatham-Kent community, CKCHC officials say.
“We would love to have the opportunity to meet with interested farms and further understand their needs,” said Michelle Powers, Registered Practical Nurse at CKCHC, in a media release.
“We believe this program expansion will positively impact the health and well-being of Temporary Foreign Workers in the Chatham-Kent region.”
For more information about the program, interested farms are encouraged to reach out to Michelle
Powers at 226-626-7876 or Michelle.Powers@ckchc.ca.
